Xplore Dundee, the Scottish bus operator, has announced that they have become the latest Scottish transport company to reaffirm their commitment to making all of their services more accessible to blind and partially sighted people. The company’s commitment was announced last week, with the support of the Royal National Institute of Blind People Scotland.
The bus operating company has announced that they will be backing a charter from the sight loss charity RNIB Scotland. This charter, when signed, commits to company to meeting the needs of passengers using their service with a visual impairment.
Xplore Dundee recently held a training event, with drivers at the company’s East Dock Street depot had an opportunity to walk a mile in their passenger’s shoes, by taking the opportunity to wear special ‘sim specs’ that can be used to simulate a range of different eye conditions. The drivers that took part in this training were able to experience first-hand the different barriers and challenges that are faced by those travelling who are blind or partially sighted.
The charter that has been set out by the RNIB includes the request that drivers approach the bus stops more slowly to give passengers more of an opportunity to make out the number and the route displayed on the front. Other aspects of the charter include not pulling away until passengers have been able to find a seat and informing them when they arrive at their destination. Xplore Dundee signed the document in May this year with seven other bus operators. Xplore has more than 130 buses and coaches servicing a network of routes throughout the city of Dundee. The Managing Director of the bus operation company, Elsie Turbyne has said that the company sells that everyone should have the same positive experience of the service that is offered by Xplore Dundee, no matter what age or ability. In order to ensure that this is the case across the network, the company has a number of different measures in place to make sure that their services are easy for everyone to use.
